The U.S. Army has presented its initial assessment of the damage done to the roads of Washington, D.C., by the heavy battle tanks that were a key part of President Donald Trump’s 250th birthday celebration for the military.
The president ordered a lavish parade to honor the founding of the Army on June 14, which also happened to be Trump’s birthday.
In advance of the event, city officials had expressed concern that the tanks participating could place undue strain on Washington’s streets, potentially requiring millions of dollars in maintenance work to repair.
The budget for the festivities was estimated at $45 million, with $16 million of that total set aside for road repairs. Organizers moved in advance to place thick metal plates, up to 20 feet in length, at turning points along the route to ease the pressure, at a cost of $3 million.
Speaking in advance of the event, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said she was “concerned” about the potential scope of the damage.
“These are, for the most part, local streets, and if they’re rendered unusable, we have to make them usable,” she said.
“Probably we would fix it and then go seek our money from the Fed. That gives me some concern about fronting costs and waiting for them to get back.”
